After winding up its fact finding visit to Orissa, a high level central committee probing alleged irregularities in POSCO's proposed steel and port projects is likely to submit its report to the Ministry of Environment and Forest by October 15.

Former union environment secretary Ms Meena Gupta who led the four member team told reporters that "We were supposed to submit the report by September 30. But, I do not think it will be possible now as the committee is awaiting certain documents from Orissa government and other bodies.”

After visiting POSCO's proposed port site at Jatadhar near Paradip, the team held discussions with government officials including members of the Orissa State Pollution Control Board and some NOGs.

Mr Siddharth Das member secretary of Orissa State Pollution Control Board said that "The central panel enquired about the public hearing held in 2007 on the POSCO's proposed projects.”

The team questioned the OSPCB members on the reason behind not holding separate public hearings on the steel plant project and the port project.

The Pollution Control Board, on its part, clarified that it conducted one public hearing because the port was a captive one for the proposed steel plant.

(Sourced from ET)